Caring for Disabled Veterans

Facing a wide range of challenges, both mentally and physically health related, veterans often exhibit cases of more long-term, debilitating effects coming into their senior years. This means that not only do they deserve a high quality home care regime, but often need it more than what is expected of the general senior citizen population. Various pension programs, in many countries throughout the world, usually fund the cost of care of veterans. Whether it is preparing meals, medication schedule reminders, assisting with hygiene maintenance, dressing, grocery shopping, or offering a kind ear and friendly company, there are many ways that veterans can benefit from in-home care.

Physical disabilities from combat are an obvious and very prevalent situation – oftentimes missing limbs and wheelchairs add to a more complex in-care regime. Exposure to various elements and substances throughout their experiences have been linked to causing hearing issues, and in some cases, may have resulted in neurological imbalances. This is important to keep in mind when caring for any veterans in the home environment, as issues such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder can also be very prevalent in any generation of veterans. It is estimated that 10-30% of people returning from war end up suffering from PTSD. This brings with it a range of emotional and mental fluctuations ranging from detachment to anxiety and distress and flashbacks being some of the common occurrences in a sufferer. This is especially important to know as PTSD can go well into the senior years, even decades after the events take place. This requires an in-home caregiverr to be mindful and gentle when it comes to the emotional state of the veteran.